Q: Something I noticed lately
over the last couple of years is sometimes Tom Izzo seems like he holds back
the talent of his players as to what they could be and seems like he gets too
conservative. Do you feel the same way and do you believe he will allow these
players to do what they do best or will he keep his conservative approach?

A: I don't necessarily feel the
same way because I think what Izzo does is focus on defense and rebounding
while his offense gives value to every possession and can be adjustable based upon
the opponent. Is Michigan State the type of team that will blow out opponents?
No, but the Spartans can play at a fast or grind-it-out pace, and I wouldn't
call their style of play conservative. Players who might seem to have their
talent held back are actually learning to perform their roles within a system
in a team game. Those roles are designed to maximize what they do best relative
to the other players on the floor and opposing players. If it was best for a
certain player to display a certain eye-popping skill -- say Adreian Payne's developing
jump shot -- he would be allowed to do so. I expect Izzo to stick with the same
approach, the one that has gotten his teams to the Final Four time and time again.

Q: Do you see Branden Dawson out on the wing or down on the
block more rather than continuing to be the "hub" at the top of the key?

A: I think you'll see him play both on the wing and down low
as well. Small forward is likely the 6-foot-6 Dawson's position as a
professional, and so that's where he'll get more time assuming he stays at
Michigan State at least another year. On the wing, he'll be able to work on his
jump shot and continue to use his athleticism. But on the block where Dawson is learning to play now, he's not
missing anything. The best technical advice Draymond Green could ever gotten was
that versatility was a good thing. It allowed him to understand more about the
game and become more attractive as an NBA draft pick, and now you're seeing it
all pay off.

Q: What do you think about Denzel Valentine having more of
an impact early in the year than Adreian Payne?

A: I think both players are having an impact. Payne leads
the team in rebounding, field goal percentage and free throw percentage while
providing a much-needed sixth man. Valentine is developing as a playmaker and
is second on the team in assists while beginning to cut down on turnovers.

Q: Do you think if Jabari Parker (would have chosen) MSU it
would open the door for more big-time recruits to come to East Lansing?

A: It's hard to measure how the decision of one possible
one-and-done recruit coming to Michigan State might have weighed into the
decisions of other top players, but it certainly couldn't have hurt. Big-name
players generate buzz, and that can be a way to sell the program much like
subliminal messaging works in advertising. Parker might have lifted up Michigan State as a team that would contend for the national championship and maybe actually won it for the Spartans. But I do thing for most recruits, at
the end of the day, each decision is made based on self-interest rather than
relying upon the opinions of other top recruits as a major factor.